Damselfish 'gardeners' selectively weed algal gardens

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- A species of damselfish, Stegastes nigricans, selectively weed the algal gardens on which they feed in order to encourage the growth of their preferred algal species of Polysiphonia and suppress the growth of less palatable algae. In a new study, researchers investigate the feeding preferences of damselfish and explore their diverse gardening systems across the Indo-West Pacific region.